Container wall with connector for retaining the tab and tear portion on the container wall

ABSTRACT

An easy opening container wall comprising a container wall of sheet material having a tear portion therein and a tab affixed to the tear portion for removing the tear portion to form an opening in the container wall. A connector attaches the tab to the container wall. The connector allows manipulation of the tab so that following removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab, the connector retains the tab and the tear portion on the container wall.

Uniteel States Patent 1 Silver CONTAINER WALL WITH CONNECTOR FOR RETAINING THE TAB AND TEAR PORTION ON THE CONTAINER WALL [75] Inventor: Francis M. Silver, Dayton, Ohio [73] Assignee: Ermal C. Fraze, Dayton, Ohio [22] Filed: Mar. 117, 1972 [2]] App]. No.: 235,710

[52] [1.8. CI. ..220/54 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 17/24 [58] Field of Search ..220/54, 48, 27

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,653,535 4/1972 Brown ..220/54 1 May 8, 1973 3,618,815 11/1971 Heffner ..220/48 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Gordon L. Peterson et :al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An easy opening container wall comprising a container wall of sheet material having a tear portion therein and a tab affixed to the tear portion for removing the tear portion to form an opening in the container wall. A connector attaches the tab to the container wall. The connector allows manipulation of the tab so that following removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab, the connector retains the tab and the tear portion on the container wall.

17 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Pate hted May 8, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented May 8, 1973 3,731,836

4 Sheets-Shet 2 12$ 7 [Ear /a1) 4 Patented May 8,1973

4 Sheets-Sheet (5 Patented May 8, 1973 3,731,836

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 CONTAINER WALL WITH CONNECTOR FOR RETAINING THE TAB AND TEAR PORTION ON THE CONTAINER WALL I BACKGROUND'OF THE INVENTION The usual easy opening container wall has a tear portion and a tab affixed to the tear portion for removal of the tear portion from the container wall. The tab and the tear portion are relatively small and are frequently carelessly discarded following their removal from the container wall. Consequently, the careless discarding of the relatively small tab and tear portion is creating a litter problem.

In an effort to solve this problem, it has been proposed to provide a tear portion which is not completely removable from the container wall. With this type of construction, the tear portion serves to retain the tab on the container wall after opening of the container wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention departs from this concept by providing an easy opening container wall of sheet material in which the tear portion is fully removed from the container wall and attachment means other than the tear portion is provided to retain the tab and the tear portion on the container wall. The tab must be manipulated to cause removal of the tear portion and the attaching means must not materially interfere with such tab manipulation.

With the present invention, once the tear portion is removed, it can be readily moved away from the opening in the container wall so as not to interfere with pouring from the opening. In addition, removal of the tear portion with its relatively sharp edges from the region of the opening reduces the likelihood of injury. More particularly, this can be advantageously accomplished by pivoting the attaching means to thereby pivot the tab and the tear portion away from the opening. After the tab and tear portion are moved away from the opening, the attaching means, the tab and tear portion can be pressed relatively flat against the container wall to minimize interference from the tab and the tear portion and to reduce the likelihood of injury from the relatively sharp edges of the tear portion.

The tab can advantageously be of the type which is pivoted to initiate severance of the sheet material along the score line and then pulled outwardly to remove the tear portion.

The attaching means can advantageously take the form of a connector which is attached at one end to the container wall outside of the tear portion andat the other end to the tab.

The connector does not significantly interfere with the manipulation of the tab to cause removal of the tear portion. This can be advantageously accomplished, in part, by attaching the connector to the tab adjacent its pivot axis and by making the connector pliable so that it can accommodate some twisting movement as the tab pivots. To accommodate the outward pulling phase Of tear portion removal, the connector may have a lever portion which ruptures secondary score lines in the container wall. The rupture of the secondary score lines facilitates pivotal movement of the connector as the tab is pulled outwardly and provides one or more secondary openings in the container wall which serve as a vent to facilitate pouring through the main or pouring opening. Thus, the secondary opening is formed automatically in response to the tab manipulation of the type which removes the tear portion.

The connector can be advantageously attached to the container wall by a rivet which will allow pivotal movement of the connector, the tab, and the removed tear portion about an axis generally normal to the plane of the container wall. The tab and tear portion can advantageously be integrally constructed from sheet material. In a preferred form of the invention, the connector forms at least a substantial segment of a ring which at least partially circumscribes the tab.

The invention can best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of an easy opening container wall constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention with the tab and connector removed.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an easy opening container wall constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 after the tab has been raised sufficiently to initiate severance of the sheet material along the edge of the tear portion.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the easy opening container wall with the tear portion having been removed and with the tab, tear portion, and connector having been pivoted through about one-half a revolution.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a tab and connector constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 6A6A of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the tab and connector.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 99 of FIG. 3 and with the easy opening container wall affixed to a can body.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line l0 10 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 2 and ,8 show an easy opening container wall 11 which includes a container wall 13, a tab 15, and a connector 17. The container wall 13 may be constructed, for example, of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and in the embodiment illustrated, it is circular in plan; however, other configurations may be employed. The container wall 13 has a peripheral attaching flange 19 which is utilized to attach the easy opening container wall 11 to a container body 21 as shown by way of example in FIG. 9. In the resulting container of the illustrated embodiment, the container wall I3 forms a can end and the container body 21 is in the form of a cylindrical can body the opposite end of which (not shown) is suitably closed.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the container wall 13 has a weakened region in the form of a score line 23 which defines a tear portion 25. In the embodiment illustrated, the tear portion 25 is elongated with the direction of elongation extending radially of the container wall 13 and with one end of the tear portion terminating closely adjacent the attaching flange 15. A hollow rivet 27 is formed integrally with the sheet material of the tear portion 25 Another rivet 29 is formed integrally with the sheet material of the container wall substantially at the center of the container wall. Auxiliary score lines 31 and 33 extend approximately half way around the rivet 29 on opposite sides of the rivet 29. In the embodiment illustrated, the score lines 31 and 33 are both arcuate and the score line 31 is the longer.

The tab 15 and the connector 17 are best shown in FIGS. -7. In the embodiment illustrated, the tab and the connector 17 are integrally constructed of sheet material such as aluminum alloy or steel. The tab 15 includes a ring-like tab body 35, an attachment portion 37 and a connecting portion 39 which attaches the attachment portion to the tab body. The tab body 35 circumscribes the attachment portion 37. An inner marginal region of the sheet material of the tab body 35 is turned outwardly to define an inner reinforcing bead 41 which extends completely around the tab body except for the region thereof contiguous the connecting portion 39. An outer marginal region of the sheet material of the tab body 35 is turned inwardly to define an outer reinforcing bead 43. One end of the tab body 35 defines a bearing end 45 and the opposite end of the tab body 35 defines a lifting end 47. The outer reinforcing bead 43 engages a rear face of the connecting portion 39 as best shown in FIG. 6 and then is doubled back on itself to define a supporting section 48. The supporting section 48 provides a double layer of sheet material for supporting the connecting portion 39.

The connecting portion 39 is pliable and joins the attachment portion 37 to the tab body 35. The attachment portion 37 has an aperture 49 therein adapted to receive the rivet 27 (FIG. 1) to thereby attach the tab 15 to the tear portion 25.

The connector 17 is generally ring-like and circumscribes over one-half of the tab 15. The outer reinforcing bead 43 is interrupted at two regions on opposite sides of the attachment portion 37 to integrally join the connection 17 and the tab 15. The connector 17 and the tab 15 lie in substantially the same plane as shown in FIG. 6.

The connector 17 includes a pair of legs 51 and 53 on opposite sides of the tab 15 integrally joined by an arcuate web 55. The legs 51 and 53 are integrally joined to the outer bead 43 and intermediate these junctures, the connector 17 is spaced from the tab body 35 by a circumferentially extending gap 57. As shown in FIG. 6A, the leg 51 lies above the bottom of the inner bead 41 adjacent the juncture of the leg and the tab 15. The leg 53 is identical adjacent its juncture with the tab 15. The legs 51 and 53 are substantially unreinforced for approximately the full length thereof. The connector 17 has a peripheral integral depending flange 59 which extends along the entire periphery of the web 55 and part way into each of the legs 51 and 53. The connector 17 has a rivet receiving aperture 61.

The inner periphery of the web 55 has an integral reinforcing flange 63 which extends along the inner periphery to the same extent as the flange 59 extends along the outer periphery of the connector 17.

The tab 15 and the connector 17 are attached by the rivets 27 and 29, respectively, to the container wall 13. When so attached, the bearing end 45 overlies a region of the container wall just outside of the tear portion 25 as shown in FIG. 8. The flange 59 overlies a length of the score line 31.

To open the container wall 13, the user lifts upwardly on the lifting end 47 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9 to thereby pivot the tab body 35 generally about the connecting portion 39 relative to the attachment portion 37. This causes the bearing end 45 to bear against the container wall outside of the tear portion 25 and to apply an upwardly lifting force through the rivet 27 to the sheet material along the score line 23. Ultimately, the force on the score line 23 is sufficient to cause rupture of the sheet material therealong to thereby form an opening 67 in the container wall. The pivotal movement of the tab 15 causes the regions of attachment of the connector 17 to the tab body 35 to bend somewhat but this does not significantly interfere with pivotal.

movement of the tab body 35. This pivotal movement of the tab body elevates the end of the connector 17 adjacent the end 45 of the tab.

In the second phase of the opening operation, the ring-like tab body 35 is pulled outwardly to completely remove the tear portion 25. Outward pulling of the tab 15 to remove the tear portion 25 elevates the end of the connector 17 contiguous the tab. In response thereto the connector 17 acts as a lever to apply rupturing forces to the socre lines 33 and 31. Specifically, the score line 33 is first ruptured in response to the upward lifting force applied to the container wall thereadjacent through the rivet 29 and the score line 31 is ruptured by the flange 59 which is forced downwardly. Rupture of the score lines 31 and 33 provides secondary openings 69 and 71 (FIG. 10), respectively, which serve as vents for opening 67 which serves as a pouring opening. In

addition, the rupture of the two score lines 31 and 33 allows the connector 17 to be pivoted without significant resistance as the tab 15 is pulled upwardly and away from the opening 67.

In the third phase of the opening operation, the connector 17, the tab 15, and the tear portion 25 are swung or pivoted about the rivet 29 to a suitable position away from the opening 67 so as not to interfere with pouring of the contents of the container 21 out through the opening 67. Such pivotal movement is about an axis which is generally perpendicular to the plane of the container wall 13. For example, the connector 17 may be pivoted through approximately from the opening 67 as shown in FIG. 4. Finally, the tab 15 and the connector 17 can be pushed downwardly against the upper face of the container wall 13 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

I. An easy opening container wall comprising:

a container wall of sheet material;

means defining a tear portion in said container wall, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container wall; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form said opening; attaching means other than said tear portion for attaching the tab to the container wall outside of the tear portion; and said attaching means allowing said manipulation of the tab whereby following the removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab the attaching means retains the tab and the tear portion on the container wall. 2. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes means for pivotally attaching the tab to the container wall whereby following removal of the tear portion by the tab the tab and the tear portion can be pivoted away from said opening.

3. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 including means comprising at least a portion of said attaching means for forming a secondary opening in said container wall outside of said tear portion in response to said manipulation of said tab.

4. An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material; means defining a tear portion in said container wall,

said tear portion being of lesser area than said container wall and being removable to define an opening in the container wall; a tabhaving a lifting end and an end generally opposite said lifting end; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that lifting of the lifting end of the tab forces said opposite end against the container wall to initiate removal of the tear portion and subsequent pulling of the tab removes the tear portion from the container wall to thereby form said opening in said container wall; and a connector attached at a first location to the container wall outside of the tear portion and at a second location to the tab, said connector allowing said lifting and pulling of the tab and retaining the tab and the tear portion on the container wall after removal of the tear portion from the container wall. 5. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said second location is adjacent said opposite end.

6. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector is attached at said first location to the container wall by a connection which allows the connector to pivot about an axis generally perpendicular to said container wall.

7. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector forms at least a substantial Segment of a ring which at least partially circumscribes the tab.

8. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said tab and said connector are integrally constructed of sheet material.

9. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector has a pliable region adjacent said second location which is bendable to allow the lifting of said lifting end of the tab.

10. An easy opening container wall as defined in 11. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said container wall has a weakened region therein outside of said tear portion, the operation of said tab to form said opening causing said connector to bear on said container wall adjacent said weakened region to rupture said weakened region and form a secondary opening in said container wall.

12. An easy opening container wall comprising:

a container wall of sheet material;

means defining a tear portion in said container wall, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container wall;

a tab having a lifting end;

means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form said opening in the container wall;

said container wall having a weakened region therein outside of said tear portion; lever means other than said tab joined to said tab and to said container wall outside of said tear portion,

at least a portion of said lever means being adjacent said weakened region; and

said lever means being responsive to said manipulation of said tab to rupture the sheet material of said container wall at said weakened region to form a secondary opening in said container wall.

13. An easy opening container wall as defined in 40 claim 12 wherein said lever includes a section forming at least a part of a ring which at least partially circumscribes said tab.

14. An easy opening container comprising:

wall means of sheet material defining a container;

means defining a tear portion in said wall means, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container;

a tab;

means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form an opening in said container;

attaching means other than said tear portion for attaching the tab to the container outside of said tear portion; and

said attaching means allowing said manipulation of the tab whereby following the removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab the attaching means retains the tab and the tear portion on the container.

15. A tab and connector of the type useable with an easy opening container wall comprising:

a lever tab adapted for connection to the container wall, said tab having a lifting end and a bearing end which is adapted to bear against the container wall in response to lifting of the lifting end; and

a connector attached to said lever tab adjacent said bearing end, said connector circumscribing a sub- 17. A tab and connector as defined in claim 16 wherein said tab includes a body of generally ring-like configuration which is spaced from said connector along a substantial segment of the periphery of said tab body by a circumferentially extending radial gap. 

1. An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material; means defining a tear portion in said container wall, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container wall; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form said opening; attaching means other than said tear portion for attaching the tab to the container wall outside of the tear portion; and said attaching means allowing said manipulation of the tab whereby following the removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab the attaching means retains the tab and the tear portion on the container wall.
 2. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes means for pivotally attaching the tab to the container wall whereby following removal of the tear portion by the tab the tab and the tear portion can be pivoted away from said opening.
 3. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 including means comprising at least a portion of said attaching means for forming a secondary opening in said container wall outside of said tear portion in response to said manipulation of said tab.
 4. An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material; means defining a tear portion in said container wall, said tear portion being of lesser area than said container wall and being removable to define an opening in the container wall; a tab having a lifting end and an end generally opposite said lifting end; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that lifting of the lifting end of the tab forces said opposite end against the container wall to initiate removal of the tear portion and subsequent pulling of the tab removes the tear portion from the container wall to thereby form said opening in said container wall; and a connector attached at a first location to the container wall outside of the tear portion and at a second location to the tab, said connector allowing said lifting and pulling of the tab and retaining the tab and the tear portion on the container wall after removal of the tear portion from the container wall.
 5. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said second location is adjacent said opposite end.
 6. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector is attached at said first location to the container wall by a connection which allows the connector to pivot about an axis generally perpendicular to said container wall.
 7. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector forms at least a substantial segment of a ring which at least partially circumscribes the tab.
 8. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said tab and said connector are integrally constructed of sheet material.
 9. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said connector has a pliable region adjacent said second location which is bendable to allow the lifting of said lifting end of the tab.
 10. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said tab includes an attachment portion attached to the tear portion and a ring-like lever portion substantially circumscribing the attachment portion and defining said lifting end and said opposite end, said connector forms at least a segment of a ring and at least partially circumscribes the tab, said connector being attached to said tab adjacent said opposite end and being attached to the container wall outside the tear portion by a rivet, said tab and said connector being integrally constructed of sheet material.
 11. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 4 wherein said container wall has a weakened region therein outside of said tear portion, the operation of said tab to form said opening causing said connector to bear on said container wall adjacent said weakened region to rupture said weakened region and form a secondary opening in said container wall.
 12. An easy opening container wall comprising: a container wall of sheet material; means defining a tear portion in said container wall, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container wall; a tab having a lifting end; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form said opening in the container wall; said container wall having a weakened region therein outside of said tear portion; lever means other than said tab joined to said tab and to said container wall outside of said tear portion, at least a portion of said lever means being adjacent said weakened region; and said lever means being responsive to said manipulation of said tab to rupture the sheet material of said container wall at said weakened region to form a secondary opening in said container wall.
 13. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 12 wherein said lever includes a section forming at least a part of a ring which at least partially circumscribes said tab.
 14. An easy opening container comprising: wall means of sheet material defining a container; means defining a tear portion in said wall means, said tear portion being removable to define an opening in the container; a tab; means for attaching the tab to the tear portion so that manipulation of said tab removes said tear portion to form an opening in said container; attaching means other than said tear portion for attaching the tab to the container outside of said tear portion; and said attaching means allowing said manipulation of the tab whereby following the removal of the tear portion from the container wall by the tab the attaching means retains the tab and the tear portion on the container.
 15. A tab and connector of the type useable with an easy opening container wall comprising: a lever tab adapted for connection to the container wall, said tab having a lifting end and a bearing end which is adapted to bear against the container wall in response to lifting of the lifting end; and a connector attached to said lever tab adjacent said bearing end, said connector circumscribing a suBstantial section of said lever tab, said connector having an aperture therein adapted to receive means for attaching the connector to a container wall.
 16. A tab and connector as defined in claim 15 wherein said connector circumscribes a substantial portion of said tab.
 17. A tab and connector as defined in claim 16 wherein said tab includes a body of generally ring-like configuration which is spaced from said connector along a substantial segment of the periphery of said tab body by a circumferentially extending radial gap. 